


Belief

by Sora_Tadano



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M, fairytale AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23839195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sora_Tadano/pseuds/Sora_Tadano
Summary: Don't trust your eye. Trust your heart.
Kudos: 1





	Belief

**Author's Note:**

> Creation: 2016-07-10

The sun was slowly setting and dusk colored the sky red and with it the castle walls. 

A soft look was on the prince's face while he observed the coming of the night. The prince loved the calm silence of this hour of the day.

How often had Tezuka dreamed of running away, even more so nowadays. His father had taken to the idea of finding a suitable bride for him.

It was the rustling of the leaves that took his attention from those thoughts. The prince was captivated by what he saw, a wolf with fur colored like moonlight stepped out of the undergrowth.

If Tezuka had not known better, he could have sworn that the animal looked right at this window and at him. Even though the howling of a wolf should have terrified the prince, he couldn't help thinking it a most beautiful sound that touched his heart. It was as if something about this creature called out to Tezuka and the young man caught himself almost answering the howl. He closed his eyes to take a deep breath, only to find the wolf gone when he opened them again.

That night Tezuka dreamed of the wolf, but it seemed so human at times he even looked it.

*

The following nights went much the same. The wolf came, looked at the prince and howled only to disappear when no answer came.

Tezuka's dreams followed the same pattern, only that the wolf turned more and more into a man, just as stunning as the wolf.

While the king grew more concerned with the howling and urged his son not to go out after dark until the knights had taken care of it.

*

When the next night came, Tezuka felt restless and worried for the wolf. The beautiful animal came out non the less.

This time Tezuka did not stay in his room. No, this night the prince hurried outside.

It was like the wolf had waited for him and when his voice echoed through the night, Tezuka's own answered him.

Intense eyes focused on the prince while the predator approached him. And yet he felt no fear, only a strange sense of belonging with this creature.

The knights had gathered by now and saw with horror how close the beast was to the prince. Just as it got dangerously close the sound of an arrow cold be heard, one of them had risked a shot. Not for a second one of them would have believed what happened next.

It was Tezuka who moved first, not thinking of himself, acting as a shield. The whole action would not have ended well for him, but the arrow did not hit its mark. In place of the wolf stood the man of Tezuka's dreams and held the arrow in his hand.

''You finally came to me.'' 

His voice was raw from disuse.

The prince couldn't find his own voice to respond, too many emotions were racing through him. 

A movement among the knights caused the man's attention to move from Tezuka to them. While human in appearance his behavior was still that of a wolf. Bearing his fanglike teeth at them and crouching close to Tezuka in a protective stance.

Fearing that the situation might escalate, Tezuka placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

''It's alright. They don't want to harm me.'' Turning to the knights, he added ''And you will not harm him. I won't tolerate any argument on the matter.''

The prince's voice was firm as he gave the orders. Only when the knights put down their arms, did the man relax his stance somewhat.

It took quite some time to convince the prince's savior to follow Tezuka into the castle. The man's understanding of words was rather limited, but after a while Tezuka at least learned that the other's name was Niou Masaharu and that his appearance as a wolf had been a curse. Tezuka's willingness to risk his own life for Niou had broken it. An act of true love as Niou put it.

The hardest part that followed had been to convince the king to accept Niou as Tezuka's chosen partner. 

Of course the blond still had a lot to learn but all in all they lived happily ever after.

The end.


End file.
